READINGS

READINGS
2007-08-01 00:00:00
1 \ o C A \ t'A J . BOOK REVIEWS FREAK S O F TH E STORM : FRO M FLYIN G COW S T O STEALIN G THUNDE R Rand y Cerveny, 2006, 371 pp., $15.95, paperbound, Thunder's Mouth Press, ISBN 1-56025-801-2 ^ ometimes bad things happen to good books. Freaks continues with a piecey, cobbled narrative \ Sometimes an otherwise engaging, intelligent, structure that is often fascinating, sometimes alto- and cleverly organized book is done a remarkable gether fantastic to read. The absence of tidy conclu- disservice by its editors. Sometimes a reader wonders sions or denouements is refreshing, and the whimsical if there ever were editors in the first place. episodic form promises instant gratification for those The problems (which I'll discuss later) are not to who tend not to embrace a cover-to-cover read- be blamed on the author—or if he is due any blame, ing style. Moreover, Cerveny's liberal use of quotes it is only insofar as he had a hand in cracking the prevents Freaks from reading like a textbook, and adroitly washes many of the anecdotes in whip over the editors in question. Clima- tologist Randy Cerveny has come up with a
http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.pngBulletin of the American Meteorological SocietyAmerican Meteorological Societyhttp://www.deepdyve.com/lp/american-meteorological-society/readings-LcRGd213JV

Abstract

1 \ o C A \ t'A J . BOOK REVIEWS FREAK S O F TH E STORM : FRO M FLYIN G COW S T O STEALIN G THUNDE R Rand y Cerveny, 2006, 371 pp., $15.95, paperbound, Thunder's Mouth Press, ISBN 1-56025-801-2 ^ ometimes bad things happen to good books. Freaks continues with a piecey, cobbled narrative \ Sometimes an otherwise engaging, intelligent, structure that is often fascinating, sometimes alto- and cleverly organized book is done a remarkable gether fantastic to read. The absence of tidy conclu- disservice by its editors. Sometimes a reader wonders sions or denouements is refreshing, and the whimsical if there ever were editors in the first place. episodic form promises instant gratification for those The problems (which I'll discuss later) are not to who tend not to embrace a cover-to-cover read- be blamed on the author—or if he is due any blame, ing style. Moreover, Cerveny's liberal use of quotes it is only insofar as he had a hand in cracking the prevents Freaks from reading like a textbook, and adroitly washes many of the anecdotes in whip over the editors in question. Clima- tologist Randy Cerveny has come up with a

Journal

Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society
– American Meteorological Society